WHERE IS THE BUREAUCRACY MENTIONED IN THE CONSTITUTION? WHERE DOES THE
AUTHORITY FOR IT TO EXIST COME FROM? TO WHOM IS THE BUREAUCRACY
ACCOUNTABLE?

Hi,

As I'm sure you're aware, nowhere in the U.S. Constitution is there a
direct reference to bureaucracy.  However, the authority to create a
bureaucracy is implicit in Article 1, Section 8, Clause 18, which
authorizes Congress

   "To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper 
   for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and
   all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the
   Government of the United States, or in any Department
   or Officer thereof."

This is sometimes known as the elastic clause, as it has been
interpreted to broadly expand the scope of what the Congress has the
authority to do.  Among those is the creation, along with the
executive branch, of various departments that carry out executive
functions.

You can find a copy of the Constitution here:

The United States Constitution
http://www.house.gov/Constitution/Constitution.html

The bureaucracy is accountable first to the executive branch of the
government (headed by the president for the federal government and by
governors of state governments).  The executive also is accountable
through the system of checks and balances to the legislative branch,
which can establish laws for the operation of the bureaucracy and can
also set the budget.  And while the bureaucracy isn't really
accountable to the judiciary in the way we usually use the word
"accountable," it must behave in a way that passes constitutional (and
therefore judicial) muster.

Ultimately, of course, all three branches and the resulting
bureaucracies are accountable to the people.

I hope this fully answers your question.

Best wishes,

mvguy-ga



Search strategy: I performed a Google search using the term "u.s.
constitution" and supplemented what I found based on my knowledge as
one who holds a degree in political science.

---

Clarification of Answer by mvguy-ga on 08 Nov 2002 20:22 PST

I'd also suggest you look at the articles you get through the
following Google search.  A number of them give a good explanation of
how the elastic clause and bureaucracy are related.

Search term: "elastic clause" bureaucracy
://www.google.com/search?q=%22elastic+clause%22+bureaucracy